Once when the Buddha is staying at Icchānangala, with Nāgita as his attendant, the brahmins of Icchānangala come to pay him homage with various kinds of offerings and make a great noise and uproar as they wait outside the gate.

The Buddha is disturbed by their noise and expresses his disapproval, whereupon, Nāgita begs of him to accept their homage and their gifts, The Buddha answers that he has no need for them; he has attained the happiness of renunciation, of insight, of awakening, of calm; happiness proceeding from gains and flattery is dung like.

He knows of monks who joke and make merry, who eat their bellies full and give themselves up to languor and torpor, or live on the outskirts of some village. They do not please him, but a forest dwelling monk pleases him because he knows that, some day, that monk will find emancipation. A.iv.340ff.


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